MXPA98003686A - Reclosable fastener assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A reclosable fastener assembly having two interlocking profiles with uppermost closure elements and bottommost closure elements and a slider for moving between a closed position and an open position along the profiles in straddling relation. The slider has a top and side walls depending from opposite sides of the top for receiving the profiles therebetween. The side walls extend downward from the top to a point at or below the profiles, and the side walls extend from a separating end of the slider to a pinching end. The side walls have a greater spacing at the separating end than at the pinching end, but close enough at the pinching end topress the first and second profiles into an interlocked relationship as the slider is moved toward the closed position. The slider has a separating leg depending from the top between the first and second side walls at the separating end of the slider. The separating leg is inserted past at least one of the uppermost closure elements of the profiles, but not between the bottommost closure elements. In a second aspect, the fastener assembly includes means for holding the bottommost closure elements in interlocked relationship when the slider is in the closed position, such that the bottommost closure elements are in interlocked relationship throughout their entire length.

Description

RECONNECTABLE FIXING ASSEMBLY DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Re-attachable clamping assemblies are useful for sealing thermoplastic bags. Such fastening assemblies usually include a plastic zipper and a slide. Typically, the plastic slide fasteners include a pair of interlock fasteners, or profiles, that form a closure. Since the slide moves through the profiles, the profiles open or close. The profiles in plastic zipper closures can go on various configurations. For example, the patent of E. U.A. 5, 140,727 discloses interlocking rib and groove elements, while the patent of E. U.A. 5,007, 143 describes a rolling action slide fastener profile, and the patent of E. U.A. 4,747, 702 describes profiles that are U-shaped with hooks that can be interlocked. The slides to open or close the reclosable fasteners are generally configured so that the slider is mounted astride the profiles. The slides usually include a separating element that is inserted through the profiles in order to open the fastener. Said slide is described in the patent of E. U.A. 5,067,208. In other types of slides, the separation element does not penetrate the profiles, but rather, slides above the profiles on a specially adapted rail located above the profiles, as described in the U.A. 5,007, 143. The separation elements have various forms. For example, the patent of E. U.A. 3, 173, 184 describes a V-shaped separation element, while the patent of E. U.A. No. 5,067,208 discloses a tapered spacing element with a circular end. A disadvantage of the known fastening assemblies is that the thermoplastic bags incorporating the fastening assemblies usually spill. Another disadvantage of the known fastening assemblies is that the slide fasteners can be rigid and not very flexible, while the sliders can be large, cumbersome and expensive to manufacture. It could be an advance in the technique of reconnectable clamping assemblies to have a simplified slide, while minimizing the spillage of liquids through the closure. The present invention solves the above problems to a high degree. In one aspect, the present invention is a reclosable fastening assembly comprising five elements. The first element is a first fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface. The second element is a second fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface. The third element is a first profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastening strip, the first profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the plurality of fastening elements including at least one higher element and a lower element. The fourth element is a second profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the second fastening strip, the second profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the elements including at least one higher element and one more element. under, the elements of the second profile being adapted to mate with the elements of the first profile, thus interlocking the second profile with the first profile. The fifth element is a slide for moving between a closed position and an open position along the fastening strips in a straddling relationship, the slide having an upper part and side walls depending on the opposite sides of the upper part to receive the fastening strips between them, the side walls extending downwards from the top so that at least a portion of the profiles is maintained between the side walls, the side walls extending from a separating end of the slide towards a compression end, the side walls having a greater space at the separating end than at the compression end, the side walls being sufficiently far apart at the compression end for compressing the first and second profiles in an inter-bisected relationship as the slide moves to the closed position, the slide having a separation end depending on the upper part between the first and second side walls at the separation end of the slide , the separation end being inserted beyond at least one of the higher closing elements of the profiles, but not between the lower closing elements. In a second aspect, the present invention is a reclosable fastening assembly comprising six elements. The first element is a first fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface. The second element is a second fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface. The third element is a first profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastening strip, the first profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the plurality of fastening elements including at least one fastening element higher and a lower closing element. The fourth element is a second profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the second fastening strip, the second profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the elements including at least one higher fastening element and a lower closing element, the closing elements of the second profile being adapted to couple with the elements of the first profile, thus interlocking the second profile with the first profile. The fifth element is a slide that moves between a closed position and an open position along the fastening strips in a straddling relationship, the slide having an upper part and side walls depending on the opposite sides of the upper part for receiving the fastening strips between them, the side walls extending from one end of separation of the slide towards a compression end, the side walls having a greater space at the end of separation than at the compression end, the side walls being separated sufficiently at the compression end to compress the first and second profiles in an inter-bisected relationship as the slide moves to the closed position, the slide having a separation end depending from the top between the first and second side walls in the separation end of the slide, the separation tip being inserted beyond at least one of the highest elements of the profiles, but not between the lower closing elements. The sixth element are means for keeping the closing elements lower in an inter-bisected relationship, when the slide is in the closed position, so that the lower closing elements are in an inter-bisected relationship throughout their length.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a thermoplastic bag having a slide fastener and a slide. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a reclosable thermoplastic bag with a zipper closure and a slide. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an open profile and slide of the present invention taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a closed profile. and a slider of the present invention taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an open and sliding profile. Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the slide in Figure 2. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a slide taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a reclosable thermoplastic bag B having a reclosable plastic profiled fastener 1 1 and a slider 10, modeling the present invention. Bag B also has a sealed bottom 33 and two opposite sealed edges 34. Bag B can be made from any suitable thermoplastic film such as, for example, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, substantially linear ethylene copolymers and a C3-C8 α-olefin, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, mixtures of two or more of these polymers, or mixtures of one of these polymers with another thermoplastic polymer. Referring now to Figure 2, the bag B comprises a pair of flexible plastic sheets 12 and 13. The sheet 12 has an upper edge having a first fastening strip 14 attached thereto. The first fastening strip 14 has an inner surface on the inside of the bag and an outer surface on the outside of the bag. The sheet 13 has an upper edge having a second fastening strip 15 attached thereto. The second fastening strip 15 has an inner surface on the inside of the bag and an outer surface on the outside of the bag. The strips 14 and 15 can be extruded separately and attached to the respective sides of the mouth of the bag or the strips 14 and 15 can be integrally extruded with the sides of the mouth of the bag. A first profile 16 extends along the internal surface of the first fastening strip 14. A second profile 17 extends along the internal surface of the second fastening strip 14. As shown in Figures 2- 5, the first profile 16 has at least one higher closing element 16a and a lower closing element 16b. The closure elements 16a and 16b project laterally from the inner surface of the strip 14. Also, the second profile 17 has at least one higher closure element 17a and a lower closure member 17b. The closure elements 17a and 17b project from the inner surface of the strip 15. When the bag is closed, the closure elements of the profile 16 are interlocked with the corresponding closure elements of the profile 17. As shown in Figures 2 -5, the closure elements 16a, 16b, 17a and 17b have hooks on the ends of the closure elements, so that the profiles remain inter-bisected when the bag is closed, thus forming a seal. The seal advantageously is such that under normal conditions of use, it forms a barrier to liquids. The profiles 16 and 17 each may have more than two closure elements, so that any number of closure elements may be disposed between the higher and lower closure elements. The closure elements can have any shape, such as a rib shape and a groove, as described in the U.S.A. patent. 5, 140,727, or an angled hook shape, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 4,747,702. When bag B opens, the fastening strips 14 and 15 are separated one from the other as the profiles 16 and 17 do on the respective strips. As shown in Figure 4, the closure elements 16a, 17a, 16b, 17b have a complementary transverse shape, so that they close compressing the profiles together. The compression action is achieved through a compression end 10b of the slide 10, which straddles the fastening strips 14 and 15 and is adapted to close or open the closure elements 16 and 17 of the reclosable fastener. Referring again to Figure 1, the slide 10 moves between a closed position 35 and an open position 36. In this way, when the slide 10 reaches the closed position 35 at one end of the fastening strips, the bag is closed, and the profiles are inter-bisected through substantially their entire length. When the slide reaches the open position 36 at the opposite end of the fastening strips, the bag opens and the profiles are decoupled through most of their length. It should be understood that it is sufficient that at least the lower closure elements are inter-bisected with each other across substantially their entire length, so that the bag closes. Preferably, the higher closure elements are also inter-bisected, although they need not be. Referring now to Figure 2, the straddle slider 10 comprises a U-shaped member having an upper portion 20 for moving along the upper edges of the strips 14 and 15. The slider 10 has side walls 21 and 22 depending on the upper part 20. The side walls 21 and 22 extend downwards along the outer surface of the fastening strips 14 and 15, at a point at or below the profiles 16 and 17, so that at least a portion of the profiles 16 and 17 are held between the side walls 21 and 22. The side walls 21 and 22 cooperate with the strips 14 and 15, so that, as the slide moves between the open and closed position, the strips 14 and 15 are received between the side walls 21 and 22. As shown in Figure 6, the side walls 21 and 22 extend from a separating end 10a of the slide towards a compression end 10b of the slide. The side walls 21 and 22 are more separated at the separation end 10a than at the compression end 10b. The closest space at the compression end 1 0b acts to pinch, or compress the clamping strips together, thus forcing the profiles 16 and 17 in an inter-bisected relationship. As shown in Figure 4, the profiles can be compressed together all at once, that is, the higher closure elements 16a and 17a are compressed together at approximately the same time as the lower closure elements 16b and 17b are compressed. Alternatively, the profiles may be inter-biased through a rolling action, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5,007, 143. As shown in Figures 2-7, a separation end 23 depends on the upper part 20 between the side walls 21 and 22 and is inserted beyond at least one of the higher closure elements 16a and / or 1 7a of the profiles 16 and / or 17. As shown, the separation end is placed at the separation end 1 0a of the slide 1 0, although the separation tip can be placed anywhere long from the top. Preferably, the separation end 23 has a width, i.e., a dimension from one side to the other, of 0.79 to 3.2 millimeters. Preferably, the separation end has a length, i.e., a dimension from the end of separation towards the compression end of 1.5 to 6.4 millimeters. The separation end 23 does not extend over the entire path through the profiles 16 and 17. Rather, the separation end 23 extends through at least one of the higher closure elements 16a and / or 17a , but does not extend very far to reach between the lower closing elements 16b and 17b. If the profile has intermediate closing elements between the higher and lower closing elements, the separation end may extend between the intermediate closing elements, although the separation end does not need to do so. When the slide 10 moves towards the open position 36, the compression end 10b of the guide slide, and the separation end 10a of the slide carries, so that the separation end 23 uncouples the profiles 16 and 17. When the slider 10 moves towards the closed position 35, the separating end 10a guide and the compression end 10b carries, so that the compression end 10b compresses the profiles together in engagement. The space between the lower closing elements 16b and 17b and the higher closing elements 16a and 17s must be sufficient for the lower profiles to be opened by pulling as the separation end forces the closing elements further lifted apart when the slide moves to the open position 36. The fastening assembly optionally includes means for holding the slide in a straddling relationship with the fastening strips, In the embodiment shown in Figures 2-7, the means they include flanges 25 on the external surfaces of the fastening strips 14 and 1 5, and shoulders 21 a, 22 a, 21 b and 22 b on the side walls of the spool. The shoulders 21 a and 22 a project inward from the dependent side walls at the separation end 1 0 a of the slide. As shown, the slide also has shoulders 21b and 22b projecting inward from the side walls dependent on the compression end 10b of the slide. The shoulders 21 a, 22 a, 21 b and 22 b project inward at a point at or below the profiles 1 6 and 1 7. The shoulders act as a means to hold the slide in a straddling relationship with the fastening strips gripping the lower surfaces of the ridges 25. The ridges 25 in this manner act as handles for the slide to hold, so that the slide 10 maintains the relationship astride the fastening strips and does not fall out of the bag. The shoulders can be continuous along the entire length of the slide, if desired, in order to maximize safety to the bag. The ridges 25 extend along the length of the outer surface of the fastening strips 14 and 15 at a point in or below the profiles, and can be attached to the fastening strips through any means, such as, for example, extruding with the fastening strips, heating, gluing or fixing by jump in its place. The flanges may also result from the difference in thickness between the profiles and the bag. Alternatively, the means for holding the slide in a straddling relationship with the fastening strips may include an extension 50 on the separation end 23 together with a flange 18 positioned above the profile 16 along the length of the extension. clamping strip 14, as shown in Figure 5. As the slide moves along the clamping strips, the extension 50 slides between the highest clamping element 16a and the flange 18. When the assembly is closed, the flange 18 covers the higher closure elements 16a and 17a. The tab 18 is optional. If desired, there may be a tab on both fastening strips. The slide 10 can be made of multiple parts and welded together, or the parts can be constructed to be jointly fixed. The slide 10 can also be a one-piece construction. The slide can be made using any desired method, for example, injection molding or any other method. The slide can be molded from any suitable plastic such as, for example, nylon, polypropylene, polystyrene, acetal, hardened acetal, polyketone, polybutylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, polycarbonate, or ABS. The slide can be transparent, opaque or colored. A bag incorporating the fastener and slider of the present invention optionally includes means for preventing the slide from slipping off the end of the bag once the slide reaches the closed position 35 or the open position 36.

Preferably, the means for preventing the slide from slipping off the end include means for keeping the closing elements lower in an inter-bisected relationship when the slide is in the closed position, including the area below the separation end, of so that the lower closure elements are in an inter-bisected relationship through substantially their entire length. Said means for keeping the lower closure elements together can, for example, include a fused section of the lower closure elements near the closed position 35. The fused section of the profiles near the closed position preferably creates a high end stop 30. Preferably, a fused section of the profiles is also close to the open position 36. "Close to the closed position" means in the present, when the slide is in the closed position, the space at least between the slide and the ends of the fastening strips. This distance may be narrow, if the closed position is chosen towards the end of the fastening strip, or the distance may be wide, if the closed position is chosen to be farther from the ends of the fastening strips, such as when large end stops are desired. When a fused end stop 30 is used in conjunction with a flange 25, it is preferred that the flange 25 extend over each end at least toward an inner edge 31 of the fused section, and preferably beyond its inner edge, as shown. in Figure 1, so that the rim 25 works to cooperate with the fused section 30 to maintain the slider 10 on the bag. The profiles can be fused through a clamp, an adhesive, pressure, heat, mechanically, ultrasonically, or through any other desired method. The resulting end stops 30 perform the double function of stops for the ends of the fastener 11 to prevent the slide 10 from going beyond the end of the fastener 1 1 and also keep the two profiles 16 and 17 together to prevent the bag from opening in response to the stresses applied to the profiles through the normal use of the bag. The end stops 30 also provide a convenient finger grip for the user when moving the slide 10. Alternative means for preventing the slide from slipping off the end of the bag include riveted end clamps, such as those described in the patents of E. U.A. 5,067,208 and 5,161,286, transverse end stops made of cast material for the profiles, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5,088,971, reciprocal anvils, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5, 131, 121, tubular end stops, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5, 405, 478, a window structure combined with sealed zipper ends, as described in the U.S.A. 5,442,837, or plastic end fasteners fused to the slide fastener, such as described in the U.A. 5,448,807.

The fastening assembly of the present invention optionally includes means for retaining the slide in the closed position so that a bag incorporating a slide fastener and a slide of the present invention does not open inadvertently. For example, the means for retaining the slide in the closed position may comprise a notch structure such as that described in the US patent. 5,067,208, or a notch structure by deflecting the ends, as described in the U.A. 5,301, 395. In another alternative embodiment, the means for retaining the slide in the closed position may comprise bolt means, such as a detent on the slide together with a projection on the slide fastener, as described in the U.A.A patent. . 5, 189,764. The bag of the present invention can be made using methods well known in the art., such as, for example, through extrusion by blow or by melting. The slide can be attached to the fastening strips using methods such as causing reciprocal locking movements using a tool, such as described in the U.S.A. patent. 4,262, 395, through a hinge structure, which joins fins to the body of the slide, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5,067,208, through a structure of rigidity, as described in the patent of E. U.A. 5,283, 932, or through the assembly in place.

Claims (10)

1 .- A reconnectable fastening assembly comprising: a) a first fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface; b) a second fastening strip having an inner surface and an outer surface; c) a first profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastening strip, the first profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the plurality of fastening elements including at least one higher element and one element lower; d) a second profile positioned along the length of the internal surface of the second fastening strip, the second profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the elements including at least one higher element and one more element under, the elements of the second profile being adapted to mate with the elements of the first profile, thus interlocking the second profile with the first profile; and e) a slide for moving between a closed position and an open position along the fastening strips in a straddling relationship, the slide having an upper part and side walls depending from the opposite sides of the upper part to receive the The clamping lines between them, the side walls extending downwards from the upper part towards a point at or below the profiles, so that at least a portion of the profiles is maintained between the side walls, the walls laterals extending from one end of separation of the slide towards a compression end, the side walls having a greater space at the separation end than at the compression end, the side walls being spaced apart at the compression end to compress the first and second profiles in an inter-bisected relationship as the slide moves to the closed position, the slide t by extending a separation end from the top between the first and second side walls at the separation end of the slide, the separation end being inserted beyond at least one of the higher closing elements of the profiles, but do not enter the lower closing elements.

2.- The clamping assembly according to the claim 1, where the profiles are fused close to the closed position.

3. - The clamping assembly according to the claim 2, where the fused profiles create an extreme stop.

4. The clamping assembly according to claim 2, wherein the fused profiles keep the closing elements lower together, so that when the slide is in the closed position, the lower closing elements are in a inter-biochecked relationship throughout its entire length.

5. The clamping assembly according to claim 2, wherein the fused profiles create an end stop * and keep the closing elements lower together, so that when the slide is in the closed position, the elements of Lower closures are in an inter-bisected ratio throughout their entire length.

6.- The clamping assembly according to the claim 5, further comprising means for holding the slide in a straddling relationship with the fastening strips.

7.- The clamping assembly according to the claim 6, wherein the means for holding the slider in a straddling relationship include shoulders depending on the side walls of the slider, and shoulders projecting from the outer edges of the fastening strips along their lengths at or below the profiles, so that the shoulders grab the surface of the flange.

8.- The clamping assembly according to the claim 6, wherein the means for holding the slide in a straddle relationship include a flange positioned along at least one of the profiles above the upper closure element, and an extension extending from the separation end. of the slide, the extension sliding between the higher closing element and the flange as the slide moves.

9. - The clamping assembly according to the claim 6, where the profiles are fused through a clamp, an adhesive, melting means or mechanical means.

10. A reclosable fastening assembly, comprising: a) a first fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface; b) a second fastening strip having an internal surface and an external surface; c) a first profile positioned along the length of the inner surface of the first fastening strip, the first profile having a plurality of fastening elements, the plurality of fastening elements including at least one higher element and a lowest element; d) a second profile positioned along the length of the internal surface of the second fastening strip, the second profile having a plurality of fastener elements, the elements including at least one higher fastener element and a fastener element. lower closing, the elements of the second profile being adapted to couple with the closing elements of the first profile thus interblocking the second profile with the first profile; e) a slide for moving between a closed position and an open position along the fastening strips in a straddle relationship, the slide having an upper part and side walls depending from the opposite sides of the upper part to receive the strips between them, the side walls extending from one end of separation of the slide towards a compression end, the side walls having a greater space at the end of separation than at the end of compression, the side walls being sufficiently separated in the compression end for compressing the first and second profiles in an inter-bisected relationship as the slide moves to the closed position, the slide having a separation end depending from the top between the first and second side walls at the end of separation of the slide, the separation tip being inserted m s beyond at least one of the elements of higher closure profiles, but not between the lower closure elements; and f) means for keeping the closing elements lower in an inter-bisected relationship when the slide is in the closed position, so that the lower closure elements are in an inter-bisected relationship throughout their length. 1 1 .- The clamping assembly according to the claim 10, wherein the means for keeping the closing elements lower in the inter-bisected relationship is a fused section of the lower closure elements near the closed position. 12. The clamping assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fused section creates an end stop. 13. The fastening assembly according to claim 12, further comprising means for holding the slide in a straddling relationship with the fastening strips. 14. The fastening assembly according to claim 13, wherein the means for holding the slide in a straddling relationship include shoulders dependent on the side walls of the slide, and shoulders projecting from the outer edges of the slide strips. fastening along their lengths in or below the profiles, so that the shoulders grip the surface of the flange. 15. The fastening assembly according to claim 13, wherein the means for holding the slide in a straddle relationship includes a flange positioned along the length of at least one of the profiles above the element. of higher closing, and an extension exiting from the end of separation of the slide, the extension sliding between the higher closing element and the flange as the slide moves. 16. The fastening assembly according to claim 13, wherein the profiles are fused through a clamp, an adhesive, fusion means or mechanical means. SUMMARY A reclosable fastening assembly having two interlocking profiles with higher closing elements and lower closing elements and a slide for moving between a closed position and an open position along the profiles in a straddling relationship is described. The slide has an upper part and side walls depending from the opposite sides of the upper part to receive the profiles between them. The side walls extend downward from the top towards a point in or below the profiles, and the side walls extend from a separating end of the slide towards a compression end. The side walls have a greater space at the separating end than at the compression end, but close enough to the compression end to compress the first and second profiles in an inter-bisected relationship as the slide moves to the closed position. The slide has a separation end depending on the upper part between the first and second side walls at the separation end of the slide. The separation tip is inserted beyond at least one of the higher closing elements of the profiles, but not between the lower closure elements. In a second aspect, the clamping assembly includes means for keeping the closing elements lower in an inter-bisected relationship when the slide is in the closed position, so that the lower closing elements are in an inter-bisected relationship through all its length.